gave someone ideas讓人動起非分之想

把戰爭的損失一件件數成自己的賬，苦裡帶笑，一下就把人物立住。

X by X, ... and now ...

用一件件累積的事抱怨對方時用；對不熟的人別這麼連珠炮地數落。

Day by day, everything changed, and now this. ／ One thing after another, and now you've done it too.

口語

raid by raid 兩個重音，trousers 尾音放平收。

Week by week, my plants died, and now you've knocked over the last one. 一個星期接一個星期，我的花一盆盆死掉，現在你又把最後一盆打翻了。

前後一句一擰，用德語詞把破爛屋子說成了家，自嘲裡全是善意。

in a ... sort of way

想說一樣東西又差又有點討喜時用；正式報告裡別用這種調侃口吻。

in a strange sort of way ／ in its own odd way

口語

pretty horrible 重讀，in a 輕讀連到 gemütlich。

The cafe is falling apart, in a charming sort of way. 這家咖啡館破破爛爛的，倒也有種可愛的味道。

拿撐天花板的椅子當道具，把屋子的破敗說得又荒誕又好笑。

It holds up X and that holds up Y

解釋一樣東西撐著另一樣、出事就塌時用；也可調侃傢俱不牢。

It props up the beam and the beam props up the roof. ／ That stick holds the whole thing together.

中性

not that chair 重讀，holds up 連讀兩遍別含糊。

Don't move that box; it holds up the shelf and the shelf holds up the books. 別動那個箱子，它支著架子，架子支著書。

在廢墟里端出咖啡還要搬出元帥，窮講究本身就是笑點。

The same brand that ... drinks.

想用誇張的品牌或名人來抬價、逗趣時能用；正式商務場合不要用。

The same tea the Queen keeps in her pantry. ／ Exactly what the captain drinks on the bridge.

口語

Finest Brazilian blend 連讀，Field Marshal Montgomery 放慢加重。

Only the best beans here, the same roast that astronauts take up. 我這隻有最好的豆子，宇航員帶上去的就是這款。